Thames & Kosmos Tightrope-Walking Gyrobot User manual

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620302-03-110220
Experiment Manual
I can walk
a tightrope!
Wow!
Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizerstr. 5-7, 70184 Stuttgart, Germany | [phone] | www.kosmos.de
Thames & Kosmos, 89 Ship St., Providence, RI, 02903, USA | 1-800-587-2872 | www.thamesandkosmos.com
Thames & Kosmos UK LP, 20 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3HE, UK | 01580 713000 | www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk

No. Description Qty. Part No.
1 Head unit 1 723146
2 Body unit 1 723147
3 Legs (orange) 2 723145
4 Pin caps (light blue) 4 723142
5 Sticker sheet 1 723144
6 Large frame (gray) 2 723143
7 Square frame (gray) 2 719851
8 Cotton string (white, 200 cm) 1 714240
9 9-hole rod (gray) 4 719057
10 3-hole dual rod (gray) 4 718536
11 Short anchor pin (black) 8 721921
12 Anchor pin (red) 6 702527
13 Joint pin (blue) 2 717768
14 Anchor pin lever (yellow) 1 702590
15 Pivot anchor pin (gray) 2 620302Y
16 5-hole cross rod (gray) 2 620302Z
YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
3 AAA batteries (1.5-volt, type
LR03), small Phillips-head
screwdriver
If you are missing any
parts, please contact
Thames & Kosmos
customer service.
Checklist:
What’s in your experiment kit:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
4
3
7
6
5
1
2
8
Good to know!
KIT CONTENTS
T
i
p
s
You will need the anchor pin lever
when you want to take your models
apart. It has two different sides
for different sized parts.

AN ALIEN!
LOOKS LIKE THEIR
SPACE SHIP HAS BEEN
IMMOBILIZED
BY A WEB!
WE MUST
HELP THEM!
BUT HOW?
620302-02-110220
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Amazing Tightrope-Walking Gyrobot
Kit Contents ............................ Inside front cover
Table of Contents...................................................1
Safety Information ................................................ 2
A Word to Parents and Adults ................................ 3
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS START ON PAGE 8
Gyrobot Comic: Part 1..................................4
Gyrobot Assembly........................................8
Using the Gyrobot...................................... 12
Gyrobot Comic: Part 2................................ 14
Check It Out: How Does
the Gyrobot Balance? ............................. 16
Physics Experiments .................................. 17
Check It Out: Gyroscopes,
Past and Present................................... 20
More Physics Experiments.......................... 21
T


S
You can find additional
information about Gyroscopes
in the check it out sections
on pages 16 to 20.
Yay!
Let’s begin !
1

2
SAFETY INFORMATION
!
!
WARNING!
Not suitable for children under 3 years. Choking hazard —
small parts may be swallowed or inhaled. Strangulation
hazard — long cords may become wrapped around the neck.
Keep packaging and instructions as they contain important
information.
Safety for Experiments with Batteries:
→ Never perform experiments using household
current! The high voltage can be extremely
dangerous or fatal!
→ Three AAA batteries (1.5-volt, type LR03) are
required, which are not included in the kit
because of their limited shelf life.
→ Avoid short circuiting the battery. A short
circuit can cause the wires to overheat and
the battery to explode.
→ Different types of batteries or new and used
batteries are not to be mixed.
→ Do not mix old and new batteries.
→ Do not mix alkaline, standard (carbon-zinc),
or rechargeable (nickel-cadmium) batteries.
→ The batteries are to be inserted with the
correct polarity. Press them gently into the
battery compartment (see page 12).
→ Non-rechargeable batteries are not to be
recharged. They could explode!
→ Rechargeable batteries are only to be
charged under adult supervision.
→ Rechargeable batteries are to be removed
from the toy before being charged.
→ Exhausted batteries are to be removed from
the toy.
→ Dispose of used batteries in accordance with
environmental provisions, not in the
household trash.
→ The supply terminals are not to be
short-circuited.
→ Avoid deforming the batteries.
Notes on Disposal of Electric and Electronic Components:
The electronic components of this product are recyclable. For the sake of the
environment, do not throw them into the household trash at the end of their lifespan.
They must be delivered to a collection location for electronic waste, as indicated by the
following symbol:
Please contact your local authorities for the appropriate disposal location.

3
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Amazing Tightrope-Walking Gyrobot
With this kit, your children can learn about
gyroscopes in a fun, hands-on way. They can
develop fine motor skills and strengthen their
powers of observation when playing with this
amazing balancing robot. The experiments are
designed to encourage your children, but they
can also be challenging. So please help your
children as they experiment and play with this
kit. For safety, you should supervise the
insertion of the three AAA batteries (1.5-volt,
type LR03).
Before setting up and experimenting, read the
instructions together with your child and
discuss the safety instructions. Help your child
build and operate the gyrobot with advice and a
helping hand — especially with more difficult
steps and experiments.
Younger children in particular, who cannot yet
read, need an adult’s assistance in assembling
the gyrobot and the tightrope frame, and in
carrying out the experiments.
The gyrobot is kept in balance by a motorized
internal spinning gyroscope, which has to
reach operating speed after it is turned on
before the robot can safely balance. Make sure
that your child does not attempt to balance the
gyrobot until it reaches full speed.
Never leave the gyrobot operating unattended
or above people or animals to avoid the risk of
falling, damage, or injury. It is best to operate
the gyrobot on the tightrope frame, which can
be built with the parts included. You can also
tether the gyrobot to the tightrope using the
small safety loop and a string, to prevent it
from crashing to the floor if it should fall off
the tightrope. This is explained on page 13.
Please note all of the usage tips on page 13 so
that your child can enjoy using the gyrobot for
a long time.
We hope you have a lot of fun
with this experiment kit!
Children want to explore, understand, and create new things.
They want to try things and do it by themselves.They want to
learn! They can do all of this with Thames & Kosmos
experiment kits.With every single experiment, they grow
smarter and more knowledgeable.
Dear Parents and Adults,
Have
fun!

— Dummy Text for Heading
IT’S QUIET IN THE JUNKYARD.
EVERYONE HAS GONE TO SLEEP ...
... EXCEPT TOM AND IZZY.
HERE, WHERE OTHER PEOPLE JUST SEE
JUNK, HEROES SEE ENDLESS
POSSIBILITIES.
THE
THRUST MUST
BE INCREASED
BY FACTOR 10.
I FOUND
SOMETHING!
WE
NEED MORE
BOOST ...
HMM ...
THAT COULD
WORK.
... AS LONG
AS IT ISN’T
BROKEN.
DON’T
WORRY! THIS
SMALL LEAK
WILL BE EASY
TO PLUG.
ALRIGHT,
LET’S GET
TO WORK!
… TO OVERCOME
THE GRAVITY.
IT’S THE
PIECE WE
NEEDED!
5

IZZY CAN REPAIR
ANYTHING. SHE IS
A GENIUS WHEN IT
COMES TO MECHANICS.
TOM ON THE OTHER HAND
IS A SCIENTIST THROUGH
AND THROUGH ...
TOGETHER, THEY CAN
BUILD ANYTHING!
I THINK
IT’S READY!
... HE’S ALWAYS
GAME TO TRY OUT
AN EXPERIMENT!
YES! WE
DID IT! NOTHING CAN
STOP US NOW!
WHERE SHOULD
WE FLY NEXT?
WHEREVER
WE WANT!
WE CAN GO
ANYWHERE!
66

THIS PLANET GIVES ME THE CREEPS, TOM.
WHERE THERE ARE SPIDER WEBS, THERE ARE
SPIDERS, AND SPIDERS ARE NO FUN!
IZZY, WE
ARE NOT HERE
TO HAVE FUN.
WE AREN’T?
WHY ARE WE
HERE THEN?
FOR SCIENCE!
UMMM ...
... FUN!
SCIENCE!
ERR ... DID
SOMETHING MOVE
BACK THERE?
SERIOUSLY
TOM, LOOK!
NO DISTRACTION TACTICS,
PLEASE. THIS DISCUSSION
CONCERNING OUR OBJECTIVES
REQUIRES SERIOUSNESS.
AN ALIEN!
LOOKS LIKE IT’S BEEN
IMMOBILIZED BY A WEB!
REALLY!
I HAVE
AN IDEA!
WE MUST
HELP!
BUT HOW?
LET’S GET
BUILDING!
7
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14.

M1-11
M1-12
M1-12A
M1-13
M1-13A
8
GYROBOT ASSEMBLY
1
3
4
2
Loop
in
back
Press the blue pns
frmly nto place
Mty!
Let’s name it ...

9
Assembly Instructions
TIGHTROPE FRAME
1
2
Pay close attention to exactly
which parts are needed!

10
3
4
5
6
Catch the knot in the notch
highlighted here in yellow.
Insert the joint pin, with the end
highlighted in yellow first, into
the middle hole.
Wrap the string around the joint pin,
guiding it through all four notches.
Pull the string under the frame.
Rotate the frame so
that the opposite end
is facing you.
Wrap the string around
the frame base once,
guiding it up from
below.
TIGHTROPE FRAME

11
Assembly Instructions
7
8
9
Guide the string around
the top of the frame
once. Thread the string from
behind through the
hole highlighted here
in yellow.
Pull the string to the opposite end of the frame and then rotate
the frame around again, so the free end of the string is facing you.
Pull the string back over the top of
the frame, as shown here:
Thread the string over the middle hole and
insert another blue joint pin into the hole
highlighted here in yellow, securing
the string in place.
De!
Rotate the ont pn to tghten the
strng, wndng the strng around t In
ths way, tghten the strng so that t s totally
taut and doesn’t droop at all

M1-15
M1-14
12
Inserting and
replacing the
batteries
WARNING! Observe the information on
handling batteries on page 2!
Starting the
gyrobot:
Turn on the gyrobot by sliding the small switch.
Hold it level in the air by its head. The gyrobot
shouldn’t touch any surfaces or the tightrope yet!
Now, you must wait approximately 15 seconds for
the gyroscope inside the gyrobot’s head to pick
up speed. You can hear the motorized gyroscope
spinning faster and faster. When the gyroscope
has reached its maximum speed, you can carefully
place the gyrobot on the tightrope or a flat surface.
Always align the gyrobot’s head parallel to the
surface on which it is supposed to balance! Hold it
in this position and then release it carefully onto
the surface.
EXPERIMENT 1
Once the batteries
are inserted,
you can start!
Off
Use a Phillips-head screwdriver to loosen the
screw and remove the battery cover.
(If replacing the
batteries, remove
and dispose of the
exhausted batteries.)
Insert the
batteries with
the correct
polarity, replace
the cover, and
screw it back on.
On
The gyrobot walks
the tightrope
Remember
to tghten
the tghtrope
before puttng the
gyrobot on t

13
Using the Gyrobot
Powering down:
After switching the gyrobot off, the gyroscope will continue
to rotate and its legs will continue to move for a while.
Take it off the string (or other surface) immediately after
switching it off! The gyroscope is no longer spinning fast
enough to keep the gyrobot balanced.
Important!
Read these tips
carefully!
T


S
Follow these tips to keep the gyrobot safely balanced:
–>It is best to use the tightrope frame as described previously
in this manual.
–>When the gyrobot balances on a tightrope, the string
must be totally taut! It cannot be sagging.
–>Do not attach or remove any parts when the gyrobot is
switched on.
–>When balancing the gyrobot on the string, make sure that
you put its feet onto the string properly: The notches should
fit onto the string exactly.
–>Never let the gyrobot balance above high spaces, people, or
animals — It could fall, break, or cause injury.
–>Never insert thin or sharp objects into the gyrobot’s head
or gears!
–>If you let the gyrobot balance on the string without the
frame, use the safety loop on its body: Guide a string
through the safety loop and around the tightrope, and then
tie the two ends of the string together.
–>Be very careful if you experiment with the gyrobot
balancing on uneven or soft surfaces (like pillows)!
–>Keep long hair and cords away from the gyrobot’s head and
body!
–>If the gyrobot’s sound changes while balancing, check that
the body and legs are still properly connected and that all
parts are pressed together firmly.
–>Never tilt the gyrobot or its head suddenly when it’s
running — the gyroscope could break!
–>If you notice that the gyrobot is running slower or falling
out of balance more often, Then the batteries may be
exhausted. Replace them with new batteries.
Back

NO PROBLEM, BRO.
MONTY CAN DO THIS!
BALANCING IS ITS
S P E C I A LT Y.
THE SUBJECT APPEARS TO
ALSO BE SIGNALING A QUITE
OPTIMISTIC OPINION REGARDING
THIS RESCUE PLAN.
SEE!? HELPING
PEOPLE IS FUN.
I WAS RIGHT.
OKAY, THIS NO
LONGER LOOKS FUN! INCREASE YOUR
SPEED, MONTY!
I REALLY SHOULD HAVE
DESIGNED IT TO BE
A BIT FASTER.
IIIP!
EEK!
PICK UP THE
PACE, MONTY!
FUN IS IRRELEVANT.
WE ARE IN THE
SERVICE OF SCIENCE
AN D ...
“UH-OH“ WHAT?
LET ME SEE! GIMME
THE BINOCULARS!
UH-OH….
14

ACCORDING TO MY CALCULATIONS,
A POSITIVE CONCLUSION TO THIS
DANGEROUS SITUATION IS NOT
INEVITABLE.
I HEAR YOU.
I’M ALREADY STARTING
THE ENGINES!
IIIIIIIP!
EEP EEEP!
WEEEE!
IIIIIIIIIIIIP!
HAHAAAAA!
EAT DUST,
SPIDERS!
WE ONLY WANTED
TO HELP ...
YOU CAN DROP ME OFF AT THE
NEXT SOLAR SYSTEM. WHAT
BROUGHT YOU TO THIS CORNER
OF THE UNIVERSE, ANYWAY?
WOW, THAT
WAS CLOSE!
THANKS!
YOU
SPEAK OUR
LANGUAGE?
OF COURSE!
INTRIGUING.
THE QUEST
FOR SCIENCE
AND FUN!
15

?
!
CHECK IT OUT
16
How does the
gyrobot
balance?
The gyrobot’s secret is a
gyroscope, which is a wheel
mounted inside a special frame.
The wheel spins rapidly around
a central axis of rotation.The
frame can rotate independently
of the wheel, so it can assume
any orientation in space even as
the wheel stays in one orientation.
This is achieved by suspending the
wheel inside multiple rings, or gimbals.
Each ring can pivot on one axis.Together,
these suspension rings make up a gimbal
suspension. Physics explains how the rapidly rotating wheel
remains spinning in one orientation. This special phenomenon
is the reason gyroscopes can be used for measuring and
maintaining the orientation of objects.
The gyroscopic wheel
is inside the gyrobot’s
head. If you look through
the transparent plastic
housing, you can see the
wheel rotating inside. It is
powered by electricity from the
batteries installed inside of it,
which power an electric motor
that spins the wheel.
But how, exactly,
does the gyroscope
enable the gyrobot
to stay balanced?
You can find out
in the following
experiments!
gimbal
gimbal wheel
(or disc)
Axis of
rotation

17
Physics Experiments
EXPERIMENT 2
In this experiment, you can experience the
gyroscopic effect firsthand. This effect occurs
when a wheel turns very quickly. This creates a
force that tries to maintain the axis of rotation
of the wheel. In other words, the force prevents
the wheel from tilting out of the plane in which
it is already spinning. As long as a gyroscope is
rotating, it always maintains the original
position of its axis of rotation.
Therefore, you probably observed the
following: If the gyrobot’s head tilts, the
gyroscopic effect pushes it back so that the axis
of rotation is maintained.This is how the head
balances on your finger, and how the body
balances on the rope.
Trying to change the position of the head a
bit with your other hand is not that easy, is it?
You feel resistance. This is the force of the
gyroscopic effect that fights against the change
in position. The gyroscope’s axis of rotation
tries to hold its position.
W
h
A

’
s


p
p


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
?
Balancing act
You will need
– Gyrobot’s head
(carefully removed
from the body)
Here’s how
1. Turn on the gyroscope using the switch
shown on page 12 and wait for it to get up to
its top speed.
2. Place the gyrobot’s head on the middle or
index finger of one of your hands and hold it
with your other hand. Make sure you hold the
head low over a table or soft surface, like a
sofa, so that nothing can happen if your
attempt to balance it doesn’t work right away.
3. Align the head parallel to the surface below
it. Check that your fingers are centered
under the head and carefully let go of it with
your other hand.
4. Now you can have the head
balanced on one or two
fingers. Hold your other
hand close to stabilize the
head if necessary.
5. Try this: When the head
is well balanced on your
finger, place the index
finger of your other hand
on the head and your
thumb below. Try to change
the position of the head slightly.
Do you feel the gyroscopic
forces?
2
4
Let’s examine
the gyroscope
more closely!

18
1
EXPERIMENT 3
On edge
You will need
– Gyrobot’s head
Here’s how
1. Place the gyrobot’s head on a flat surface
with its eyes facing up toward the ceiling and
the edge of the back of its head resting on
the surface. Do not put the head
completely upright, but tilt it slightly to the
side. Do not turn the gyroscope on yet.
2. Let go carefully. What happens?
3. Now turn on the gyroscope inside the head
and wait for it to get up to its top speed.
4. Now position the head on the surface as in
step 1. Hold it in place for a little while and
then gently let go. What happens?
With the gyroscope turned off, the gyrobot’s
head falls over. The reason for this is gravity,
which is a force that pulls all bodies and
objects on Earth toward the center of the
Earth. It is thus also referred to as
gravitational pull. This arises from the fact
that the Earth is much heavier than all the
bodies on it. The more massive an object, the
stronger its pull on other objects. Due to
gravity, things on Earth always fall toward the
surface of the Earth and do not “fall” away
from the Earth.
With the gyroscope turned on, the head no
longer falls over. It turns slowly in its slightly
tilted position. Again, it is the gyroscope’s gyro
effect that makes the head balance on its edge
like this. The gyroscopic effect even holds
the entire gyrobot in position against the
force of gravity! If the head begins to tilt due
to gravity, the gyroscopic effect directs it back
to its axis of rotation.
W
h
A

’
s


p
p


i
N

?